SouthCoast still lagging in War on Poverty

Fifty years after President Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty in America, the problem is worsening on SouthCoast, officials say.

“It's not a winnable war,” said Bruce Morell, executive director of People Acting In Community Endeavors (PACE, Inc.) which serves about 4,000 low-income residents in the Greater New Bedford area.

“There is a greater disparity between the haves and the have-nots, income levels have been falling and we're losing the middle class,” he said.

Governments have spent more than $16 trillion on programs in the last 50 years but America still has 15 percent of the population living in poverty.

Among children, that number climbs to 22 percent, according to the 2012 U.S. Census. The numbers are even more stark in New Bedford with 21.6 percent living below the poverty level as compared to 11 percent statewide.

“I've been doing this for 18 years and I thought by now I would've worked myself out of a job,” said Bill Shell, who runs the United Way's Hunger Commission of Southeastern Massachusetts which serves about 300,000 people on SouthCoast.

“Almost every program is seeing an increase of 20 to 25 percent,” Shell said. “If we continue to get cuts in food stamps and unemployment benefits while the cost of living increases, it will get worse.”

Major Gilbert Parkhurst of the Salvation Army said he continues to see “a lot of challenges” when it comes to poverty.

The Salvation Army provided food, clothing, fuel and other assistance to 56,702 people last year. Parkhurst said the war on poverty remains a tough one given current unemployment rates — 11 percent in New Bedford and 7 percent statewide.

When Johnson made his declaration half a century ago, about 19 percent of the population was living in poverty.

“This administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty in America,” he said in his 1964 State of the Union address. “It will not be a short or easy struggle, no single weapon or strategy will suffice, but we shall not rest until that war is won.”

On the 50th anniversary of Johnson's pledge, a group of social service organizations including The Salvation Army, United Way, Catholic Charities USA and United Way agreed to collaborate.

“Now, 50 years later, ample evidence suggests that the war is far from over,” said Rev. Larry Snyder, Catholic Charities USA president, in a press release Thursday. “The partnership announced today will explore tangible opportunities to work together throughout 2014 to support each other's poverty-reduction initiatives.”

Johnson's speech led the United States Congress to pass the Economic Opportunity Act that helped create “an extraordinary series of very beneficial social programs” said Michael Goodman, associate professor and chairman of the Department of Public Policy at UMass Dartmouth. These include Medicare/Medicaid, food stamps, Adult Basic Education, HeadStart and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA).

“The legacy of the war on poverty has been embodied in these programs. If we didn't have (them) I think the situation could be dramatically worse,” Goodman said.

However, Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson said subsidies are not the answer. He said politicians need to plan beyond election cycles and government must better manage money.

“Until we reinvest our tax dollars wisely, we will continue to see these inequities,” he said. “Welfare was meant to be a trampoline, not a hammock.”

“It's clear the problem has not been resolved,” said Rep. Antonio Cabral, D-New Bedford. “I think we need to look at the kinds of programs that help people help themselves.”

Many programs like fuel assistance just help maintain people, Morell said.All agreed the obvious solution is more jobs that pay a living wage.

“A big part of the problem is the fundamental lack of economic opportunities especially for people who are not formally educated,” said Goodman.

“The best poverty reduction program is a job,” said Morell. “The problem is we don't have enough good paying jobs that can support a family.”